Drainage type coal bunker gate



Se t. 24, 1963 w. G. DAVENPORT ETAL 3,104,747

DRAINAGE TYPE COAL BUNKER GATE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1960 HUVEVTO/Q wmunm G DRYEN PORT EDWAR c- HDm S p 1963 w. G. DAVENPORT ETAL3,104,747

DRAINAGE TYPE COAL BUNKER GATE Filed March 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Shaet 2 F rI I l i) 4a 36 79 l l 59 III Ill 1 I 7 II I I III I I :ll 52 l I" [I nINVENTOR.

wlLLlnm DAYENPORT BY EDWHRD C.HDDI5ON ATTORNEY Se t. 24, 1963 w. G.DAVENPORT ETAL 3,104,747

' DRAINAGE TYPE- COAL BUNKER GATE I Filed March 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

W\LLIHM G. DAVENPORT BY EDWARD AP In sow QTTORIUE United States PatentThis invention relates to overhead bunker coal gates,

and more particularly relates to improved apparatus for handling thecoal wash water so as to completely eliminate any possibility of waterdrippage onto the floor below or onto personnel working beneath the coalgates.

The coal as discharged into the coal bunker contains a large amount ofwash Water which had been used repeatedly at the mines so that thiswater has an acidity of approximately 2.2 and is, therefore, quitecorrosive. The corrosive nature of the water thus renders it importantthat any drainage system utilized should operate reliably and withoutleaks to eliminate the hazard to personnel and the possibility of damageto the floor.

In the past, drainage apparatus has been employed utilizing a pipepivoted through the side of the bunker swingable closure gate proximateits bottom. By this arrangement, the drainage water would pass from thebunker into the pipe and be conduited to a run-01f gutter. Thisapparatus has proved, however, to be unsatisfactory because drain pipesof any practical size soon became clogged with the silt in the drainagewater, and moreover, the pivotal coupling of the pipe to the bunkerclosure gate also failed due to corrosion caused by the highly aciddrain water.

The present invention overcomes these problems by eliminating the drainpipe altogether. As will presently be seen, the apparatus according tothe invention causes the drain water to drip over the front edge of thebunker closure gate and onto an inclined swingable trough, which troughdirects the water into a fixed position runoff system. The inclinedtrough is coupled to the bunker closure gate in such a manner that it isswung outward and upward away from the discharging coal when the gate isopened so that the trough does not become clogged with coal. Means arealso employed to prevent coal from being thrown onto the swingabletrough as it moves downward and inward while the bunker closure gate isclosing against the flow of coal out of the bunker. Accordingly, it is aprimary object of this invention to provide a novel bunker gate drainageapparatus which is not subject to silt clogging or failure due tocorrosion as occurred in the past with pipe type drainage systems.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel bunker gatedrainage apparatus which includes a shiftable trough for collecting thedrain water from the bunker gate and directing it into a run-off system.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel bunker gatedrainage apparatus having a specially configured bunker closure gatewhich allows the drain water to escape over one edge thereof onto ashiftable trough.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel bunker gatedrainage apparatus as aforesaid which includes coal directing structurefor controlling the flow of coal from the bunker to prevent dischargingcoal from clogging the shiftable trough.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparentfrom a reading of the following specification in conjunction with anexamination of the appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the apparatus according to the invention inorganization with its associated environmental equipment, and shows oneview of a coal bunker, under- 3,104,747 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 lyingcoal larry, and the bunker gate and drain system together with the gateoperating mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus as would be seen whenviewed along the lines 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus as would be seen whenviewed along the lines 33 of FIG- URE 1, some parts being shown insection and other parts in elevation;

FIGURE 4-is an enlarged fragmentary view of the interrelationship ofportions of the coal bunker, closure gate and shiftable drain troughwhen the gate is in closed position, some portions being shown insection and other portions in elevation;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary bottom view of the bunker closure gate anddrain apparatus according to the invention; 7

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the upper part of the apparatusof FIGURE 1 as viewed from the right, with certain parts sectioned awayto show interior details;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the bunker closure gate with one sidewall partially broken away to show the gate drip ledge:

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view of the bunker gate, drain apparatus andgate opening mechanism showing the several components in theirrespective inter-relationship with the gate closed;

FIGURE 9 is similar to FIGURE 8 except that it shows the severalcomponents in their respective interrelationship with the gate open;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of an adjustable position coalbafile secured to the bunker chute and as is seen within the phantomcircle of FIGURE 9.

In the several figures,.like elements are denoted by like referencecharacters.

Referring now to the drawings and firstly to FIGURES l, 2 and 3 for anunderstanding of the general organization into which the novel drainageapparatus is to be incorporated, there will be seen an overhead coalbunker 20 having secured to and depending therefrom a foursided openbottomed chute 21, the bottom of which chute is closed by a swingablegate 22 pivotally secured on opposite sides of the chute as by thepivots 23'. Underlying the chute 2.1 and closure gate 22 there will beseen a coal larry having a hopper 24 fixedly secured to the angle andchannel framing members 25 and 26, the entire larry being mounted uponthe axles 27 carrying the single flanged wheels 28 which are seated uponand ride along the underlying fixed track structure 29. Secured to anddepending from the larry framing members 26 are the Vertical struts 30which carry a transversely extending horizontal strut 31 to which isaffixed an index member 32 which moves with the larry. Fixedly securedto the tracks 29 is a second indexing member 33 so positioned relativeto the bunker chute 21 that when the index members 32 and 33 are alignedwith one another the larry will be centered beneath the bunker chute.

Secured to and extending upward from one of the framing members 26 are apair of brackets 34 each of which carries a bearing 35' for supportingat opposite ends a rock shaft 36 having a gate operating hook 37 fixedlysecured thereupon substantially centrally along the length of the larry.Also fixedly secured upon the rock shaft 36 at one end thereof is asprocket 38 having a chain 39 trained thereover and extending downwardlytherefrom. When the chain 39 is operated from below, the sprocket 38 isrotated, carrying with it the rock shaft36 and the gate operating hook37 to open and close the bunker chute closure gate in a manner to be nowdescribed.

Secured to and depending from the top of the bunker chute 21 is atrapeze-like hanger having a pair of vertically depending hanger arms 45spaced upon opposite sides of the chute 21 and to the bottom ends ofwhich are secured opposite ends of a horizontal rod as at 47, which rodcarries rotatably mounted thereupon a roller sleeve 46. Seatedtransversely upon the roller 46, and extending in opposite directionslaterally therefrom are a pair of gate operating pull bars 4-0 pivotallysecured to the sides of the closure gate 22 at the fore end thereof bythe pivots 41. Bridging between the pull bars 40 at the ends thereofopposite the pivot connections 41 in parallel relationship to oneanother are a pair of rod mounted rollers 42 and 43, the rods upon whichthe rollers are mounted being secured to the pull bars as at 44.

As best'seen in the showings of FIGURES. 8 and 9, when the hook 37 isrotated by means of the rock shaft 36, the sprocket 38 and chain 39, thehook finger 48 passes upward between the rollers 42 and 43, engaging theroller 42 and drawing the pull bars 40 over toward the left to therebyswing the closure gate 22 about the pivots 23 and open the bottom :ofthe chute 21 so that the bunker stored coal may drop into the lanryhopper 24- positioned beneath the chute. When the desired amount of coalhas been deposited into the larry hopper, for example as determined by aweight scale (not shown), the gate 22 is again closed by rotating thebook 37 in the opposite direction so that the underside of the hook 37bears against the roller 43 to push the pull bars 40 to the right andswing the gate 22 again into its closed position. Continued clockwiserotation of the hook 37 completely disengages it from between therollers 42 and 43 so that the lar-ry may be moved out from under thechute 21 for purposes of depositing the coal contained therein intoremotely located stoker mechanisms associated with boilers or fornacesor similar coal consuming apparatus. With the larry removed from beneaththe bunker chute 21 it will be apparent that the gate 22 may not beoperated to. open since the book 37 is completely removed from operativeassociation with the roller 42, having been carried away from the chuteregion entirely when the larry is moved out from thereunder.

Understanding now the basic operation and organization of the larryoperated coal bunker, attention may now be directed'toward the novelapparatus according to the invention incorporated into theaforedescribed structures for carrying off the coal drain water. As ismost clearly seen in FIGURES 1, 8 and 9, a fixed position run-oil gutter48, supported at intervals by supports 49, runs horizontally past thebunker chute 21 laterally off to one side thereof so as to occupy anon-interfering position relative to the path of motion of the coallarry. A fixed position inclined trough 50 is supported from the bunker26 by means of, the angle brackets 51 and the turn buckle adjustedhanger rods 52 so that the lower edge of the inclined trough 50 liesabove the run-off gutter 4-8, any water collected by the trough 50being, of course, directed into the gutter. The trough Silis pivotallysecured to the brackets 51 as at 53 and the lower section of the hangerrods 52 as at 54. By adjustment of the turn buckles 55 to lengthen orshorten the hanger rods 52 a certain degree of trough 50 slopeadjustment is obtained, such adjustment being relatively non-critical.It will be observed that the fixed trough S is laterally displaced fromthe bunker chute 21 and gate 22 so that, :as best seen in the showing ofFIGURE 9, coal discharging from the bunker chute is precluded from beingthrown onto the trough Siland eventually clogging it. Some means must,therefore, be utilized for catching the drain water and directing itonto the fixed trough 50 when the gate 22 is in its closed positionbeneath the bunker chute 21.

To this end, a swingable drain trough 56 is employed, the trough 56being mechanically linked to the chute 21 and gate 22 by a lever systemso that the swingable trough 56 is placed in functioning position whenthe :gate 22 is closed and is swung out of the way when the gate isopen.

The lever system employed for swinging the dnain trough 56 fromoperative to inoperative position includes the lever arms 57 and 58 andthe brackets 59, the lever arms 58 a being pivotally secured to oppositesides of the gate 22 as at 66 and similarly pivotally secured to theupper end of the lever arms 57 as at 61. The lower end of each lever arm57 is fixedly secured respectively to the opposite side walls of theswingable trough 56 and each arm 57 is pivotally secured as at 62intermediate the arm ends to the brackets 59, the latter being fixedlysecured to one side scribed causes the pivoted lever arms 58 to be drawn2 toward the left to thereby swing the trough 56 upward and to the rightabout the fixed pivot points 62 associated with the brackets 59. Thus,in the open gate position, the

swingable trough 56 is removed from the region of the discharging coalto prevent clogging thereof, and swings inward into proper operatingposition as the gate 22 closes toward the right to cut off the flow ofcoal out of the bunker chute 21.

As the gate 22 closes toward the right against the down-v ward how ofcoal out 'of the bunker chute 21, the coal flow similarly tends to shiftsomewhat toward the right;

and would, unless prevented, discharge a certain amount of coal onto theinwardly swinging trough 56. In order to prevent this condition fromarising, the lower portion of the side wall of the bunker chute 21 whichis proximate the drain trough system is turned inwardly toward thecenter of the chute, as at 66. This inward turned lower portion 66 ofthe bunker chute 21 terminates at a point below the corresponding loweredge 67 of the chuteopposite side wall and thus lowers the flow line ofthe coal and shifts it inwardly toward the chute center to a sufficientdegree to prevent emerging coal from being thrown upon the in-swingingtrough 56, even though the altered coal flow line tends to move towardthe right as the gate 22 closes against the coal flow. Additionallyprovided to deflect any maverick coal downward and away from theinwardly swinging trough 56 is a bafile plate 68 pivotally suspendedfrom a shaft 69 by means of a pair of hanger straps 70, the shaft 69being secured at opposite ends to the chute mounted brackets 59 as forexample shown at 71 in FIGURE 6. Projected through the plane of thebafiie plate 68 is a bafile position stop assembly including the bolt 72and nuts 73 by means of which the angle assumed by the baffle plate 68relative to the chute 21 may be adjusted'within limits.

Understanding now the basic operation and organization or the improveddrainage system, attention will be directed to certain details of theapparatus best seen in the showings of FIGURES 3 through 7. Consideringfirst FIGURES 4 and 7 which show most clearly the drip ledge structureof the leading edge of the closure gate 22, it is observed that the gatedrip ledge 65 comprises an edge thickened portion 74 having grooves 75formed on the undersurface thereof and extending the full width of thegate 22'. When the gate 22' is in closed position, the coal drain watersettles to the bottom of the chute 21 and col lects in the hollow formedby the curved gate bottom 76 and upwardly extending gate sides 77, thewater level rising until it reaches the upper edge 78 of the drip ledge65.

It will be noted that the gate 22 is so designed that when it is in itsnormally closed position, as best shown in FIG- URES ,1 and 8, the upperedge 78 of the drip ledge is disposed at a somewhat lower level than isthe opposite. edge 79 of the curved gate bottom 76, thereby favoring thei drainage of water from the gate in only one direction, namelyoutwardly across the upper edge 78 of the drip ledge 65. In order toinsure such normal closing position of the gate 22, the latter isprovided with suitable stop means operative to limit swinging of thegate in the direction of its closing movement and so prevent itsassuming a position which would permit unintended drainage of wateracross the edge 79 of its curved bottom. Preferably, this step meanscomprises a rod 80 extending transversely across the gate having itsopposite ends secured to the opposed gate walls as at 81-81.

This stop rod 80 is disposed externally of the chute 21 so that when thegate moves into its closed position the rod engages the proximate wallof the chute to limit further closing movement of the gate relatively tothe chute. It will be observed that .the stop rod 80 is spaced adistance above the curved bottom 76 of the gate sufiicient to permit thefree discharge of coal particles from the gate by way of the space soprovided between the stop rod and the gate bottom. Correct spacing ofthe stop rod relatively to the gate bottom is of importance not only toprevent any possibility of such packing of the coal particles at thetrailing end of the gate as might tend to prevent complete closingthereof (it being apparent that as the gate swings into its closedposition any coal collected thereon outside the confines of the chutewould be caused by the latter to be pushed off of the gate beneath thestop rod 80), but also to accurately relate the gate movement to that ofthe swingable trough 56. It will be apparent, of course, that the stoprod accurately determines the proper closing position of the gate 22relatively to the chute 21 and thus, upon proper adjustment of theinterconnecting linkages between the swinging gate and'the swingingtrough, the water drainage latter is fully closed, is exactly in thecorrect position relatively to the swingable trough 56 for etfectivedrainage of the water from the gate into said swingable trough 56 andthence into the fixed trough 50.

The continued rise of the drain water in the gate bottomcauses anoverflow condition so that the water runs over the drain ledge upperedge 78 and downward into the swingable trough 56, the upwardly recessedgrooves 75 formed on the bottom of the thickenedgedge portion 74preventing the drain water from running down along the curved gatebottom undersurface to its lowest point to drip therefrom onto the floorbelow. The sloping angle of the swingable trough 56 directs thecollected drain water down into the fixed trough 50 from which it ischanneled into the run-oif gutter 48. As best seen in the showing ofFIGURE 4, the upper edge of the swingable trough is turned upward as at'64 to engage the undersurface of the gate bottom 76 and provide aclosure which helps to prevent leakage of drain water due to splashingor water back-up when a relatively large flow of water is falling overthe drip ledge. Finally, it is noted that the gate sides 77 are formedintegrally with the gate bottom 76 and extend beyond the drip ledge 65so that the drain water must pass over the edge of the latter and cannotescape sideways.

As best seen in FIGURES 3, 5 and 6 the swingable trough 56 extendsbeyond the ends of the gate drip ledge 65 in order that none of thedrain water may escape. Similarly, the fixed drain trough 50 is of awidth some what greater in extent than that of the swingable draintrough 56, although the inwardly angled sides 79 thereof do notnecessarily have to take the form illustrated, but may be of anyconvenient configuration and need not be inwardly tapered at all.Finally, the inwardly turned lower edge section 66 of the bunker chute21 need not be formed in the manner shown but might for example beachieved by the use of a baflie plate similarly oriented and fixedwithin a chute having completely vertical side walls.

Having now described our invention in connection with a particularlyillustrated embodiment thereof, it will be edge 78 of the gate, when theprevent trough clogging, whereby,

apparent that various changes and modifications will occur from time totime to those persons normally skilled in the art without departing fromthe essential scope or spirit of the invention, and, accordingly, it isdesired to claim the same broadly as well as specifically as indicatedby the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A drain Water collecting apparatus for use in conjunction with anopen-bottomed bunker discharge chute and a chute bottom closure gateshiftable between chute opening and chute closing positions comprisingin com bination, a swingable drain trough pivotally secured to a pivotstructure fixedly positioned relative to the discharge chute, said draintrough being inclined when the gate is in chute closing position so thatthe trough upper edge is disposed in underlying relationship to at leasta portion of the gate bottom and the trough lower edge is disposed inoverlying relationship to a fixed position water urn-oft system whichlatter is spaced laterally away from the chute, means coupled to andeffective for pivoting said trough about said pivot structure to swingthe trough away from the chute bottom when the gate is shifted away fromchute closing-position, and deflecting means interposing the swingabletrough and the chute bottom, when the latter is open, effective todeflect stray particles of discharging material away from the trough andthereby when the gate is closed drain water may pass from the gate tothe underlying swingable drain trough and be directed therefrom into therunoff system, and when the gate is open the trough is swung away fromthe chute to prevent discharging material from being thrown thereupon,said fixed position pivot structure comprising a support bracket fixedlysecured to the bunker discharge chute and extending laterally therefromtoward the fixed position water runoff system, the bracket being locatedabove the drain trough and having an unsecured terminal portion carryingthe pivotal support for the swingable trough, said drain trough beingsecured to the bracket carried pivot by a first arm secured to saidtrough at the arm lower end, said arm extending upward to the pivotconnection and therebeyond, and said means for swinging said troughabout said pivot comprising a second arm coupled at one end to saidfirst arm above the pivot connection and coupled at its other end to thechute closure gate.

2. A bunker drain Water collecting apparatus comprising in combination,a bunker having a discharge opening, a pivoted gate arranged to open andclose said opening, said gate including first means for permittingescape therefrom of bunker drain water when said gate is closed, secondmeans for pivoting said gate to open and close the bunker dischargeopening, and drain water, collecting third means operatively associatedwith said first means for collecting escaping bunker drain water whensaid gate is closed, said third means being physically displaced andoperatively disassociated from said first means when said second meansis actuated to open said gate, said bunker including discharge openingbaffling means for directing the outward flow [of bunkered material awayfrom said drain Water collecting third means to thereby preventdischarging material from clogging the latter, and auxiliary deflectingmeans interp'osing said third means and the bunker discharge openingwhen the latter is open effec tive to deflect stray particles ofdischarging material away from said third means to thereby assist inpreventing clogging thereof.

3. A bunker drain water collecting apparatus comprising in combination,a bunker having a discharge opening, a pivoted gate arranged to open andclose said opening, said gate including a drip ledge extending along oneend of the gate bottom for permitting escape therefrom of bunker drainwater when said gate is closed, means for pivoting said gate to :openand close the bunker discharge opening, and a drain water collectingswingable trough which underlies said drip ledge for collecting escapingbunker drain water when said gate is closed, said trough beingphysically displaced and operatively disassociated from said drip ledgewhen said gate pivoting means is actuated to open said gate, said dripledge having formed on the undersurface thereof at least onehorizontally extending upward recessed groove, whereby drip water isprevented from running to the undersurface of the gate bottom beyond thetrough, said bunker discharge opening including battling means fordirecting the outward flow of bunkered material away from said drainwater collecting swingable trough to thereby prevent dischargingmaterial from clogging the latter, and auxiliary deflecting meansinterposing said swingable trough and the bunker discharge opening whenthe latter is open effective to deflect stray particles of dischargingmaterial away from said swingable trough to thereby assist in preventingclogging thereof.

4. In combination, a material-receiving bunker chute having a bottomdischarge opening, a pivoted gate swingable relatively to said chute toopen and close said discharge opening, the bottom of said gate beingdisposed in closely spaced underlying relation'to the bottom edges ofsaid bunker chute defining the discharge opening therefor and being ofconcave-up arcuate form to collect therein water drained from saidmaterial while said gate is in closed position, one end of said gatebottom having a drainage edge across which drainage water in excess ofthat retained by the closed gate may be discharged therefrom, meansoperatively associated with the gate for receiving the excess drainagewater discharged from the closed gate and for directing it to a receiverremote from the bunker, said last-mentioned means including a draintrough which shifts toward the gate as the latter swings into its closedposition and away from the gate upon swinging movement thereof into itsopen position, and

deflecting means at the drain trough side of the bunker chute forpreventing any substantial-impingement of the discharged material uponthe drain trough as the latter moves relatively to the gate.

5. In the combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said deflectingmeans comprises a bathe pivotally suspended externally of the bunkerchute immediately above and in closely spaced relation to the plane ofmovement of said shiftable drain trough.

6. In combination, a material-receiving bunker chute having a bottomdischarge opening, a pivoted gate swingable relatively to said chute toopen: and close said discharge opening, the bottom of said gate beingdisposed in closely spaced underlying relation to the bottom edges ofsaid bunker chute defining the discharge opening therefor and being ofconcave-up arcuate form to collect therein water drained from saidmaterial while said gate is in closed position, one end of said gatebottom having a drainage edge across which drainage Water in excess ofthat retained by the closed gate may be discharged therefrom, meansoperatively associated with the gate for receiving the excess drainagewater discharged from the closed gate and for directing it to a receiverremote from the bunker, said last-mentioned means including a draintrough which shifts toward the gate as the latter swings into its closedposition and away from the gate upon swinging movement thereof into itsopen position, and stop means for limiting movement of the gate in thedirection of its closing including an element fixed tothe gateexternally of the wall of the bunker chute remote from the drainage sidethereof and adapted to engage said Wall when the gate is closed, saidelement being operative topermit material on the gate to be swepttherefrom as the gate moves in closing direction across the bottom edgeof the bunker chute.-

7. In combination, a material-receiving bunker chute having a bottomdischarge opening, a pivoted gate swingable relatively to said chute toopen and close said dis- 3 charge opening, the bottom of said gate beingdisposed inclosely spaced underlying relation to the bottom edges ofsaid'bunker chute defining the discharge opening therefor and being ofconcave-up arcuate form to collect therein water drained from saidmaterial while said gate is in closed position, one end of said gatebottom having a drainage edge across which drainage water in excess ofthat retained by the closed gate may be discharged therefrom, meansoperatively associated with the gate for re ceiving the excess drainagewater discharged from the: cl'osedtgate and for directing it to areceiver remote from, r

the bunker, said last-mentioned means including adrain trough whichshifts toward the gate as the latter swings into its closed position andaway from the gate upon swinging movement thereof into its openposition, and

stop means comprising a rod extending transversely across the end of thegate which is opposite that having said.

drainage edge for limiting movement of the gate in the direction of itsclosing, said rod being adapted to engage the wall of the bunker chutewhen the gate is fully closed and being further disposed at a levelabove the gate bottom suificiently high to permit material on the gateto be swept therefrom beneath the rod as the gate moves in closingdirection across the bottom edge of the bunker chute. I

8. In combination, a m=aterial-receiving bunker chute having a bottomdischarge opening, a pivoted gate swingable relatively to said chute toopen and close said discharge opening, the bottom of said gate beingdisposed in closely spaced underlying relation to the bottom edges ofsaid bunker chute defining the discharge opening therefor and 'being ofconcave-up arcuate form to collect therein water drained from saidmaterial while said gate is in closed position, said gate including adrip ledge extending along one end of the gate bottom fr'or permittingescape V therefrom of bunker drain water-when said gate is closed,

means for pivoting said gate to open and close the bunker dischargeopening, and a drain water collecting swing able trough which underliessaid drip ledge for collecting escaping bunker drain water when saidgate is closed,

said trough being physically displaced and operatively disassociatedfrom said drip ledge when said gate pivoting means is actuated to opensaid gate, said drip ledge having formed on the undersurface thereof atleast one horizontally extending upward recessed groove, whereby dripwater is prevented from running to the undersurface of the gate bottombeyond the trough.

9. In combination, a material-receiving bunker chute. having a bottomdischarge opening, a pivoted gate swingable relatively to said chute toopen and close said discharge opening, the bottom of said gate beingdisposed in closely spaced underlying relation to the bottom edges ofsaid bunker chute defining the discharge opening therefor and being ofconcave-up arcuate form to collect therein water drained from saidmaterial while said gate is in closed position, said gate including adrip ledge extending along one end of the gate bottom for permittingescape therefrom of bunker drain water when said gate is closed, meansfor pivoting said gate to open and close the bunker discharge opening,and a drain water collecting swingable trough which underlies said dripledge for collecting escaping bunker drain water when said gate isclosed, said trough being physically displaced and operativelydisassociated from said drip ledge when said gate pivoting means isactuated to open said gate, said drip ledge having formed on theundersurface thereof. at least one horizontally extending upwardrecessed groove, whereby drip water is prevented from running to theundersur-face of the gate bottom beyond the trough, and

pled to said gate at one arm end and pivotally coupled to one end of asecond linkage arm at its other end, said second linkage arm beingsecured to said trough at its opposite end and pivotally connected to asupport bracket at a point intermediate the ends of said second am, saidbracket being fixedly secured to the bunker structure, whereby, whensaid gate is opened said first arm pivots said second arm about thefixed bracket pivot and swings said trough away from said gate dripledge and bunker discharge opening.

10 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,492,937 Ross May 6, 1924 2,107,781 Dietrich Feb. 8, 1938 FOREIGNPATENTS Germany Oct. 20, 1942

1. A DRAIN WATER COLLECTING APPARATUS FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANOPEN-BOTTOMED BUNKER DISCHARGE CHUTE AND A CHUTE BOTTOM CLOSURE GATESHIFTABLE BETWEEN CHUTE OPENING AND CHUTE CLOSING POSITIONS COMPRISINGIN COMBINATION, A SWINGABLE DRAIN TROUGH PIVOTALLY SECURED TO A PIVOTSTRUCTURE FIXEDLY POSITIONED RELATIVE TO THE DISCHARGE CHUTE, SAID DRAINTROUGH BEING INCLINED WHEN THE GATE IS IN CHUTE CLOSING POSITION SO THATTHE TROUGH UPPER EDGE IS DISPOSED IN UNDERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO AT LEASTA PORTION OF THE GATE BOTTOM AND THE TROUGH LOWER EDGE IS DISPOSED INOVERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO A FIXED POSITION WATER RUN-OFF SYSTEM WHICHLATTER IS SPACED LATERALLY AWAY FROM THE CHUTE, MEANS COUPLED TO ANDEFFECTIVE FOR PIVOTING SAID TROUGH ABOUT SAID PIVOT STRUCTURE TO SWINGTHE TROUGH AWAY FROM THE CHUTE BOTTOM WHEN THE GATE IS SHIFTED AWAY FROMCHUTE CLOSING POSITION, AND DEFLECTING MEANS INTERPOSING THE SWINGABLETROUGH AND THE CHUTE BOTTOM, WHEN THE LATTER IS OPEN, EFFECTIVE TODEFLECT STRAY PARTICLES OF DISCHARGING MATERIAL AWAY FROM THE TROUGH ANDTHEREBY PREVENT TROUGH CLOGGING, WHEREBY, WHEN THE GATE IS CLOSED DRAINWATER MAY PASS FROM THE GATE TO THE UNDERLYING